Wireless networks provide packet-based services to wireless communication devices (WCDs). For example, a radio access network (RAN) may define one or more wireless coverage areas through which the WCDs may establish bearer sessions. Using such a bearer session, a particular WCD may communicate via one or more of the RAN's base stations, serving gateway (SGW) devices, and packet gateway (PGW) devices. In most cases, the WCD's network connectivity is anchored at a particular PGW device for the lifetime of the WCD's bearer session.